Breading machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for breading pieces of food wherein the latter is disposed in a closable, perforate cylindrical body that is rotated about its horizontal axis in a housing containing breading. The body has an internal vane for tumbling the food and external ribs for agitating and elevating breading about the body. The machine includes an accessory perforate basket mountable within the body for removal of lumps from breading. A housing cover is provided that serves as a worktable when the cover is opened.

United States Patent Moore 1 1 Jan. 9, 1973 [54] BREADING MACHINE601,232 3/1898 Blanton ..2s7 10s [76] inventor: George A. Moore, 843 N.Dellrose, sig l g Wlchlla, Kans- 67208 1,460,400 7/1923 Belknap..134/158 x [22] Filed: Oct. 30, 1970 Primary ExaminerJohn P. McIntosh[21] PP 85,464 Attorney-Robert E. Breidenthal 52 us. c1 ..118/19, 259/891 1 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..A23g 3/26 A machine for breading pieces f fd wherein the F|eldfSearch-----118/19, 418;259/31 81 R, 89; latter isdisposed in a closable, perforate cylindrical 1 17/109; 51/164; 287/108body that is rotated about its horizontal axis in a housing containingbreading. The body has an internal References Clted vane for tumblingthe food and external ribs for agitating and elevating breading aboutthe body. The UNITED STATES PATENTS machine includes an accessoryperforate basket 1,199,211 9/1916 Simons ..134/159 mountable within thebody for removal of lumps from 1,315,665 9/1919 Hamilton ..l 18/ 19breading. A housing cover is provided that serves as a 1,718,418 6/1929Hatch ..1 18/19 worktable when the cover is opened, 1,881,549 10/1932Hatch ..l18/19 1,955,552 4/1934 Kruger ..1 18/418 X 20 Claims, 14Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 9 ma SHEET 1 [IF 4 Z INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. MOORE wwfzlwf/ ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAN 9 I975 3,709,193

snmzura 5 /g zmfl flgg/m INVENTOR,

GEORGE A MOORE BY Maw ATTORNEY PATENTEDJMI 9 Ian SHEET 3 [IF 4 INVENTOR.8 GEORGE A. MOORE WZW ATTORNEY PATENTEU JAN 9 SHEET 4 [IF 4lli-fillllllllil I44 F/ G. /4 INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. MOORE ATTORNEY breaded, said body having a horizontal axis andincluding a perforate peripheral wall of cylindrical configurationconnecting end walls that are at its opposite axial ends, means forsupporting the cylindrical body within and in spaced relation to thehousing for rotation about its axis, said cylindrical body including aspart thereof a hingedly connected door that is swingable between a firstposition closing the cylindrical body and a second v position openingthe body and affording access thereinto, means for releasably retainingthe door in its first position, means operable from outside the housingand connected to the means for supporting the cylindrical body forrotating the latter, housing cover means for selectively closing theopen top of the housing.

An important feature of the invention resides in the means forsupporting and rotating the cylindrical body being such that thecylindrical body can be readily decoupled from a shaft that drives thesame forrotation and also supports one end thereof, whereby thecylindrical body can be easily removed from the housing for cleaning ofthe machine.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of avane in the body for tumbling pieces of food being breaded, as well asin the provision of an internal rib on the body for agitating andelevating breading over the body. I

Another important feature of the invention resides in the cylindricalbody being formed of two sections that part upon a plane parallel to andspaced from the axis so that the smaller section can constitute a dooraffording easy access to the interior of the body.

An important feature'of the invention resides in the provision of aperforate basket removably'mountable in the cylindrical body, wherebybreading containing FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a modified formof the breading machine;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken upon the plane of thesection line 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the cylindrical body used in both of themachines of FIGS. 1 and 8, the same being shown with a portion of theperforate peripheral wall broken awayto reveal a perforate basketmounted in the cylindrical body;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken upon the plane ofthe section line 12- 12 in FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 13 is a substantially enlarged fragmentary sectional viewillustrating particularly one of the basket brackets that supports thebasket within the cylindrical body; and,

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the cylindrical body with the door sectionthereof being omitted to show the top of the basket.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals reveal like partsthroughout the various views, the reference numeral 10 designatesthebreading machine generally. The machine 10 comprises an optn-toppedhousing designated generally at 12' that is supported upon a framedesignated generally at 14 that includes lumps can be placed in thebasket for sifting therefrom 1 unlumped breading on rotation of thecylindrical body.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of FIG. 4 is a verticalsectional view of the machinetaken upon the plane of the section line4-4 in FIG. I;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view on an enlarged scale of the meansdetachably coupling the drive shaft to the cylindrical body, with hiddendetails being shown in dashed outline;

F IG. 6 is an isometric view of the cylindrical body;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of one of the hingemeans connecting the sections of the cylindrical body;

U-shaped end portions 16 and 18 that are formed of steel angle pieces. II

The housing 12 is comprised of vertical front and rear walls 20 and 22that merge with and are integrally connected by an arcuate bottom wall24 of semicylindrical configuration. The housing 12 includes verticalend walls 26 and 28. The U-shaped portions 16 and 18 of the frame 14 arewelded to the housing 12 in the relationship shown.

The open-topped housing 12 is provided with a rectangular cover 30 forselectively closing the same, such cover 30 is comprised of an openrectangular metal frame 32 that seats upon and about the top edges ofthe housing 12, and which is secured to a rectangular transparent panel34 disposed therein about the periphery of the latter. The rear edge ofthe cover frame 32-is hingedly connected to the upper margin of the rearhousing wall 22 by hinges 36 of conventional character, preferably ofthetype shown that limits opening hinge movement to slightly in excessof so that when the cover 30 is opened to about a vertical position byuse of a handle 38, the cover 30 is gravitationally retained in suchposition against the limiting action of the hinges 36. The transparentpanel 34 (which may be of glass or preferably of any suitable clearsynthetic resin or plastic material such as based on methylmethacrylate, and marketed under trademarks PLEXIGLAS, LUCITE, etc.)enables visual inspection of the interior of the housing 12 for purposesto be presently'explained when the cover 30 is closed.

A hollow cylindrical body designated generally at 40 is rotatablymounted within the housing 12 by means that includes structure indicatedat 42 that enables easymounting of the body 40 as well as easydismounting and removal of the same from within the housing 12. Thestructure indicated at 42 constitutes a part of means indicatedgenerally at 44 for rotating the cylindrical body 40 about its centralaxis.

The cylindrical body 40 is formed of two sections indicated at 46 and48, and as will be seen presently, the section 48 constitutes a dooraffording access to the interior of the cylindrical body 40. Thesections 46 and 48 part upon and when the door 48 is in its illustratedclosed position abut upon a plane parallel to and spaced from the axisof the body 40 as at the juncture indicated at 50 in FIG. 11.

The cylindrical body 40 is essentially symmetrical about the centralaxis thereof and comprises a perforate cylindrical wall 52 havingportions 54 and 56 respectively associated with the separable bodysections 46 and 48. The opposite ends of the cylindrical body are closedby circular end walls 58 and 60 that respectively include integralperipheral flanges 62 and 64 that snugly receive and are suitably fixedto the opposite axial extremities of the cylindrical wall 52. The endwall 58 is comprised of portions 66 and 68 respectively associated withbody sections 46 and 48. Similarly, the end wall 60 is comprised ofportions 70 and 72 respectively associated with body sections 46 and 48.

In fabricating the cylindrical body 40 as thus far described, thesections 46 and 48 can be made separately or made as a single entity andthereafter separated or severed in any suitable manner along the planeof the juncture 50, as by sawing.

The sections 46 and 48 are hingedly connected by hinges 76 and 78connecting the end wall portions 66 and 68 of the end wall 58, wherebythe door or section 48 can be swung radially outward by use of a handle80 fixed to the end wall portion 72. The hinges 76 and 78 are similar toeach other, and as shown in FIG. 7,- the hinge 78 is comprised of a wire82 fixed to the wall portion 66 that has a loop 84 formed thereinadjacent the juncture 50, such loop 88 rotatably receiving therethrougha pin 86 suitably secured to the wall portion 68.

The door section 48 is releasably retained in the closed position shownthereof by means of coacting spring latch means 88 fixed to the end wallportions 70 and 72 adjacent the juncture 50. The arrangement is suchthat forcing the door section 48 to its illustrated closed positioncauses the means 88 to retain the door 48 closed, with the door 48 beingreleased or openable against the action of the means 88 only upon theapplication of an appreciable opening force on the handle 80. Thisarrangementpermits convenient opening and closing of the cylindricalbody 40, but precludes inadvert'ent opening of the same. 7 i

The end wall 60 has centrally attached thereto a stub axle or trunnion90 of sphere-like end configuration that is rotatably and oscillatablyreceived in the socket portion of a bearing means 92 suitably fixed tothe inner side of the housing wall 28. The other end wall 58 of thecylindrical body 40 has centrally attached thereto a stub shaft 94 ofsquare or non-circular cross section that extends toward the housingwall 26 and the driving means 44 to constitute a part of the supportingmeans 42.

The driving means 44 comprises a mounting plate 96 disposed on theexterior side of the housing wall 26 and is secured by threadedfasteners. 98 extending thereinto through the wall 26. A bushing orbearing member 100 is press fitted through aligned openings 102 in thewall threaded fasteners 108 extending thereinto through an i enlargedend portion 1 10 of the shaft 104 as shown best in FIG. 3. A collar 112is secured on the shaft 104 by a set screw 1 14 to retain the shaft 104in the bushing 100.

An end portion 116 of the shaft 104 is of a square or noncircularconfiguration corresponding to that of the stub shaft 94, and a sleeve118 embraces the adjacent aligned end portions of the shafts 94 and 104.The internal configuration of the sleeve 118 corresponds to that of theadjacent end portions of the shafts 94 and 104 to afford support of theshaft 94 from the shaft 104 as well as a rotary driving connectiontherebetween. The sleeve 118 constitutes a detachable coupling of theshafts 94 and 104 in that the sleeve 118 is axially slidable from theposition shown thereof overlapping the shafts 94 and 104 to anon-overlapping position solely on the shaft 94, whereupon thecylindrical body 40 can be moved to clear the shaft 94 and the sleeve118 of the shaft 104 sufi'rciently to allow withdrawal of the trunnion'from the bearing 92, whereupon the cylindrical body 40 can be removed inits entirety from the housing 12.

A hand crank 120 has the drive shaft portion 122 thereof journaledthrough the plate 96 and the housing wall 26, and a collar 124 providedwith a set screw 126 retains the crank l20'in the assembled relationshown. A gear wheel 128 is fixed on the drive shaft portion 122 of thecrank 120 by a set screw 130. H

A cover 132 is disposed about the meshed gears 106 and 128 and embracesthe periphery of the plate 196, and is secured to the latter by threadedfasteners 134. The crank portion 122 extends through an opening 136 inthe cover 132, with the seal 138 being provided to prevent the ingressof foreign matter into the cover 132 through the opening 136.

Preferably, the ratio of the number of teeth on the gear 106 to thenumber of teeth on the gear 128 is a small integer, such as 3, wherebythe crank 120 will or;- cupy the same position foreach full revolutionof the cylindrical body 40. Thus the crank 120.can be in its downwardposition every time the door section 48 is uppermost and disposed forupward opening movement through the open upper end of the housing 12.

The cylindrical body 40 as well as all structure exposed to the interiorof the housing 12 'are made of materials compatible with alldesideratums relative to health in the handling of foods. Numerousmaterials are suitable for such purposes; such. as stainless steel,nickel-plated steel, and certain synthetic resins or plastics such aspolytetrafluoroethylene, etc. The perforate cylindrical wall 52 can, forexample, be a mesh formed of niclel-plated steel wire and the end wallscan. i

trademark TEFLON). For example, the end ofthe trunnion 90 that projectsinto and has sliding contact with the bearing means 92 is coated withsuch material.

Similarly, the inside of the bushing and/or the ex terior of the portionof the shaft 104 extending therethrough can be coated by suchantifriction material.

An axially extending vane 140 is fixed to the door section 48 in themedial plane thereof, such vane 140 being disposed therein and beingcoplanar with and projecting radially inward toward the central axis ofthe cylindrical body 40. The vane 140 has two principal functions, oneof which is to tumble pieces of food (in addition to distributing andagitating breading) when the cylindrical body 40 is rotated in breadingpartially filling the lower part of the housing 12. The other of suchtwo principal functions will be later described in conjunction withaccessory apparatus for freeing breading of lumps that can form in thebreading.

The section 46 of the cylindrical body 40 has fixed to the exteriorthereof axially extending ribs 142 and 144 that project directly outwardradially therefrom. The

ribs 142 and 144 are diametrically opposed to each other and atpositions at right angles to the vane 140 with respect to thecircumference of the body 40. The ribs 142 and 144 are preferablyinclined'to the axis of the body, that is to be of a form approximatingthat of a partial helix along its axial extent. The angle of inclinationis about f, with the ribs 142 and 144 being oppositely inclined. Theribs 142 and 144 are of composite character and each includes a metallicwiper blade mounting strip 146 secured to the exterior of section 46 ofthe body 40, with such mounting strip 146 carrying a radially-outwardlyextending strip or wiper blade 148 of a flexible and resilient materialsuch as neoprene. The radially outward or free edges of the strips orblades 148 are spaced from the axis of the body 40 so as to make wipingcontact with the inner surface of the bottom wall 24, it being notedthat such surface is semi-cylindrical about such axis.

The rib or wipers 142 and 144 serve two primary functions duringrotation of the body 40, namely, that of elevating breading so thatbreading elevated thereby will fall down into the interior of the body40, and that of agitating or working breading in the bottom of thehousing so as to maintain breading well mixed.

Breading is a mixture of finely divided ingredients, some of whichdiffer markedly in density as, for example, wheat flour and pulverizedtable salt. Because of such differences in density such ingredients maytend to separate so that relatively dense salt preferentiallyaccumulates in the bottom of the housing 12. The ribs or wipers 142 and144 serve to prevent any such separation by the bottom of the housing 12being wiped with the material wiped therefrom beingelevated and mixedwith the entire mass of breadingmaterial. The desired mixing action isstill further enhanced by the opposite inclinations of the wiper ribs142 and [44 as breading is alternately urged in opposite axialdirections. This action virtually assures, uniformity in the compositionof the breading along the axial extent of the housing 12.

The use of the apparatus thus far described will be readily understood.The cylindrical body 40 is mounted in the housing 12 as shown, use beingmade of the sleeve 118 for this purpose, it being noted that the latterhas a handle 150 fixed thereto to facilitate manipulation thereof aspreviously explained.

An amount of breading is put in the housing 12 sufficient to reach aheight spaced above the bottom of the cylindrical body 40, but spacedbelow the axis of the latter. Greater or lesser amounts of breading canbe used as the amount is somewhat a matter of personal judgment of theuser.

With the door 48 opened through the top of the housing 12 (whichprevents inadvertent rotation of the cylindrical body 40), pieces ofmeat, chicken, or pieces of other types of foods to be breaded areplaced in the cylindrical body 40. Such pieces will have naturally moistor tacky surfaces and/or have been treated to possess such property (asby dipping or rolling in water or batter) so that breading will adherethereto; all this by very old and well known techniques in the cookingart. As few pieces of food may be placed in the cylindrical body 40 asdesired, but it is preferred that the same not be filled to such anextent that the pieces are packed together and not be free to tumbleabout to some extent during subsequent rotation.

The cylindrical body 40 is then closed as in the housing cover 30. Thecrank is then turned to rotate the cylindrical body 40 one or more timessufficient to ac.- complish the desired coacting of the pieces of foodwith breading. If desired, the cylindrical body 40 can be rotated infirst one and then the other direction, though this is not necessary.The progress of the breading action can be observed through the cover30, and when complete such observation will aid in rotating the door 48to be uppermost. This is made easier by the crank being in the'sameposition on concluding the breading operation as when such operation iscommenced. The cover 30 and the door 48 are then opened for removal ofthe breaded food for subsequent cooking, and the procedure repeated withanother batch of food pieces.

The breading machine can be of such size as to be positioned on andoperated on a table top or counter in a kitchen. It can also beconveniently stored.

In FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 is a modification of the machine 10 such as tostand on a floor. The machine shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 differs fromthe machine 10 solely in two respects, namely, (1) the extensiondownwardly of the frame portions 16 and 18 thereof to constituteelongated U-shaped legs 162 and 164 for supporting the housing 12 asubstantial height about the supporting floor surface 166, and (2) thesubstitution of a different housing cover means 168 for the cover means30 of the machine 10.

The housing cover means 168 of the breading machine 160 comprises guidemembers 170 and 172 fixed to the housing 12 along the outside of theupper edges of the front and rear walls 22 and 24. The members 170 and172 have elongated guide slots or grooves 174 and 176 respectivelytherein. The cover means 168 is in the form of an open rectangular metalframe 178 secured to and embracing a transparent panel 180 analogous tothe previously described panel 34. The

FIGS. 8 and 9 wherein the housing top is opened, and a position to theleft thereof (as viewed in FIGS. 8 and 9) such as to cover and close thetop of the housing 12. A

pin 190 is attached to the frame 178 by a chain 192,

and such pin 190 can be inserted through vertically aligned openings inthe frame 178 and the guide member 170 to secure cover means in itsextended and open position shown,

To provide support for the free end 194 of the cover means 168 when thelatter is in its illustrated extended position, a pair of spaced legs196 and 198 are dependingly fixed to the frame 178 at the forward andrear corners of the free end 194 thereof, and the lower ends of suchlegs 196 and 198 are provided with support wheels 200 and 202respectively. The arrangement is such that the wheels 200 and 202 rollupon the supporting floor surface as the cover means 168 is extended andretracted.

When extended to open the housing 12, the flat top surface of the covermeans 168 affords a well supported work surface to be used in connectionwith preparing food for placement in the opened cylindrical body 40within the opened housing, or for placement of breaded food as it isremoved from the cylindrical body 40. It is noted that the extendedcover means 168 substantially precludes inadvertent actuation of thecrank 120.

The operation of the breading machine 160 is thought to be evident inthe light of the previous description of the operation of the breadingmachine 10.

An accessory means istprovided'that is equally useful with either of themachines 10 and 160, such accessory means, designated generally at 210,beingfor the purpose of freeing breading from lumps that tend to formtherein. The means 210, shown in FIGS. 11-14, comprises an open-toppedwire basket 212 of generally rectangular configuration that isreceivable in the cylindrical body and to be supported therein byoutwardly extending arms or brackets 214 secured thereto thatareengageable over the edges 216 and 218 of the cylindrical wall portion 54of the section 46. The basket 212 is preferably of nickel-plated steeland of a tighter mesh than that of the cylindrical wall 52.

The basket 212' is provided with a top closure member 220 having aperipheral skirt. 222 that embraces the upper portion of the basket 212when in position to close the latter; the arms 214 being attached to thebasket 212 immediately below the lower edge of the skirt 222. Y

The basket 212 and its closure member 220 can be readily placed in theoperative position shown thereof or removed by-simply grasping the arms214. With the basket 212 in its illustrated operative position, theclosure' member 220 can-be removed and replaced by grasping the handles230 fixed to the skirt 222, or by grasping the handles 232 spacedclosely on opposite sides of its axial and medial plane which coincideswith the plane of thevane 140.

With the basket 212 and its closure member 220 in their illustratedoperative positions, they are securely retained in such positions whenthe door 48 is closed inasmuch as the free edge 234 of the vane engagesthe top surface of the closure member 220 intermediate the handles 232when the door 48 is closed.

The use of the means 210 will be readily understood. The housing 12 isemptied of all but lump-free bread ing. When the cylindrical body 40 isassembled with the means 210 as shown in FIG. 11, with lamp containingbreading in the basket 212,'rotation of the cylindrical body 40 and theaccompanying rotation of the means 210 will result in lump-free breadingsifting free of the basket 212 and into the bottom of the housing 12,with lumpy breading being retained in the basket 212. As lump-freebreading escapes from the basket 212, it can be replaced with breadingcontaining lumps and the sifting continued to remove effectively lumpsfrom the breading. As the basket 212 commences to become filled withlumps, it is removed and dumped of its lumps for discard or possiblereprocessing of the latter for recovery. The lumpy material may besimply dried in an over and thereafter rolled or crushed to a usablecondition. Lumps tend to form from moisture encountered during breadingoperations.

It will be noted that'the above procedure for lump removal results inlump-free breading being disposed in the housing for immediate use inbreading operations.

If desired, the cylindrical wall 54 can along its edges 216 and 218 beprovided with attached angle members 240 to provide additional supportor bracing for the load constituted be the means 210. Further rigiditycan be given the section 46, if desired, by attaching a similar angle242 as shown in FIG. 12. Such angles 240 and 242 will, of course, notonly brace or reinforce the structure but augment the tumbling actioncaused by the vane 140. The vane 140, needless tosay, serves toreinforce the door section 48.

Attention is now directed to the appended claims.

' Iclaim:

1. A breading machine comprising an open-topped housing, a hollowcylindrical body for 7 containing pieces of food to be breaded, saidbody having a horizontal axis and including a perforate peripheral wallof cylindrical configuration connecting end walls that are at itsopposite axial ends, means for supporting the cylindrical body withinand in spaced relation to the housing for rotation about its axis; saidhousing including spaced vertical side walls extending downwardly from aheight above the top of the cylindrical body, said side walls being.connected by a semicylindrical bottom wall that is concentric about thecylindrical body, said cylindrical body being comprised of first andsecond sections that are separable upon a plane parallel to and spacedfrom the axis thereof, means at one axial end ofthe cylindrical bodypivotally connecting .the corresponding end sections, whereby the remoteend of the second section can be swung radially outward to open thecylindrical body for access :thereinto with'the second sectionconstituting a door, means at the other end of the cylindrical body forreleasably retaining the second section in closed-relationship withrespect to the first section, said second, door-constituting, section ofthe cylindrical body extending upwardly through the open top of thehousing when the cylindrical body is opened, with the housing and saidsecond section being so constructed and arranged that they coact tolimit and substantially to prevent rotation of the cylindrical body whenthe second section'is opened, said cylindrical body being provided withan external axially extending and radially outwardly projecting rib foragitating and lifting breading in the housing on rotation of thecylindrical body, means operable from outside the housing and connectedto the means for supporting the cylindrical body for rotating thelatter, said side walls having upper edges defining the open top of thehousing therebetween, and flat housing cover means mounted on the upperedges of the side walls for selectively closing the open top of thehousing.

2. The combination of claim I, wherein the housing cover means comprisesa cover hingedly mounted on the top of the housing for upward swingingmovement from a position closing the top of the housing, said coverincluding a transparent portion for enabling visual inspection of thecylindrical body when the cover is in its closed position.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said housing cover meanscomprises a horizontally disposed cover, means mounting said cover onthe housing for horizontal sliding movement between a first positionclosing the top of the housing and-a second position opening the top ofthe housing wherein one end of the cover overlies the housing forsupport therefrom and the other end of the cover projects horizontallyfrom the housing, and said other end of the cover havinga wheeledsupport leg dependingly attached thereto, whereby said cover is fullysupported in its second position for use as a worktable in connectionwith breading operations.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body is providedwith means operative in response to rotation of the cylindrical body totumble food pieces therein.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the means operative to tumblefood pieces comprises an axially extending and radially inwardlyprojecting vane disposed within the cylindrical body.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the vane is fixed to the second,door-constituting, section of the cylindrical body.

7. The combination of claim 1, together with means for enabling thebreading machine to be employed for removal of lumps from breading, saidlast recited means comprising a perforate basket removably receivedwithin the cylindrical body, means carried by the second,door-constituting, section for engaging and holding the basket fixed inrelation to the cylindrical body when the second, door-constituting,section is retained in its closed position, and said basket including aremovable closure member.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein it is the'closure member of thebasket that is engaged by said means carried by the second,door-constituting, section.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the basket is provided with meansengageable with the first section for limiting movement of the basketinto the first section, and wherein said means carried by the second,door-constituting, section comprises an axially extending and radiallyinwardly projecting vane.

10. The combination of claim I, wherein the means for supporting thecylindrical body includes a shaft journaled for rotation through an endwall of the housing in alignment with axis of the cylindrical body,axially extensible means for detachably coupling an axial extremity'ofsaid shaft to the adjacent axial extremity of the cylindrical body, withaxially separable bearing means at the opposite extremity of thecylindrical body for releasably supporting the latter, whereby theaxially extensible means can be retracted to detach the cylindrical bodyfrom the shaft and the cylindrical body moved to release said oppositeextremity of the cylindrical body whereupon the cylindrical body isfreed for removal from the housing.

a 11. The combination of claim 10, wherein the means for supporting thecylindrical body includes a non-cir cular shaft centrally carried by thecylindrical body and projecting toward the shaft, said first mentionedshaft including a non-circular end portion directed toward the pin, anda sleeve having a non-circular opening therethrough complementary to theshafts'and slidingly receiving the latter therethrough, and said shaftsand sleeve being so constructed and arranged that the sleeve can beaxially moved between positions overlapping and non-overlapping theshafts for respectively 1 coupling and decoupling the shafts.

12. The combination of claim 10, wherein the means for rotating thecylindrical body comprises hand crank means disposed on the outside ofthe housing and drivingly connected to the shaft.

13. A breading machine comprising an open-topped housing, a hollowcylindrical body for containing pieces of food to be breaded, said bodyhaving a horizontal axis and includinga perforate peripheral wall ofcylindrical configuration connecting end walls that are at its oppositeaxial ends, means for supporting the cylindrical body within and inspaced relation to the housing for rotation about its axis, said housingincluding spaced vertical side walls extending downwardly from a heightabove the top of the cylindrical body, said side walls being connectedby a semicylindrical bottom wall that is concentric about thecylindrical body, said cylindrical body including as a part thereof ahingedly connected door that is swingable between a first positionclosing the cylindrical body and asecond position opening the body andaffording access thereinto, means for releasably retaining the door inits first position, said door extending upwardly through the open top ofthe housing when the cylindrical body is opened, with the housing andsaid door being so constructed and arranged that they coact to limit andsubstantially to prevent rotation of the cylindrical body when the dooris opened, said cylindrical body being provided with an external axiallyextending and radially outwardly projecting rib for agitating andlifting breading in the housing on rotation of the cylindrical body,means operable from outside the housing and connected to the means forsupporting the cylindrical body for rotating the latter, said side wallshaving upper edges defining the open top of the housing therebetween,and'flat housing cover means mounted on the upper edges of the sidewalls for selectively closing the open top of the housing.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein said housing cover meanscomprises a horizontally disposed cover, means mounting said cover onthe housing for horizontal sliding movement between a first positionclosing the top of the housing and 21 second ponilion opening the top ofthe housing wherein one end of thc cover overlies the housing forsupport therefrom and the other end of the cover projects horizontallyfrom the housing, and said other end of the cover having a wheeledsupport leg dependingly attached thereto, whereby said cover is fullysupported in its second position for use as a worktable in connectionwith breading operations.

15. The combination of claim 13, wherein the cylin-' drical body isprovided with means operative in response to rotation of the cylindricalbody to tumble food pieces therein.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein the means operative to tumblefood pieces comprises an axially extending and radially inwardlyprojecting vane disposed within the cylindrical body. 7

17. The combination of claim 13, together with means for enabling thebreading machine to be employed for removal of lumps from breading, saidlast recited means comprising a perforate basket removably receivedwithin the cylindrical body, means for preventing movement of the basketrelative to the cylindrical body when the door is closed, and saidbasket including a removable closure member.

18. The combination of claim 13, wherein the means for supporting thecylindrical body includes a shaft journaled for rotation through an endwall of the housing in alignment with the axis of the cylindrical body,axially extensible means for detachably coupling .an

axial extremity of said shaft to the adjacent axial ex-' tremity of thecylindrical body, with axially separable bearing means at the oppositeextremity of thecylindrical body for releasably supporting the latter,whereby the axially extensible means can be retracted to detach thecylindrical body from the shaft and the cylindrical body moved torelease said opposite extremity of the cylindrical body whereupon thecylindrical body is freed for removal from the housing.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the means for supporting thecylindrical body includes a non-circular shaft centrally carried by thecylindrical body and projecting toward the shaft, said first mentionedshaft including a non-circular end portion directed toward the pin, anda sleeve having a non-circular opening therethrough complementary to theshafts and slidin'gly receiving the latter therethrough, and said shaftsand sleeve being so constructed and arranged that the sleeve canbeaxially moved between positions overlapping and non-overlapping theshafts for respectively coupling and decoupling the shafts.

20. The combination of claim 18, wherein the means for rotating thecylindrical body comprises hand crank means disposed on the outside ofthe housing and drivingly connected to the shaft.

1. A breading machine comprising an open-topped housing, a hollowcylindrical body for containing pieces of food to be breaded, said bodyhaving a horizontal axis and including a perforate peripheral wall ofcylindrical configuration connecting end walls that are at its oppositeaxial ends, means for supporting the cylindrical body within and inspaced relation to the housing for rotation about its axis, said housingincluding spaced vertical side walls extending downwardly from a heightabove the top of the cylindrical body, said side walls being connectedby a semicylindrical bottom wall that is concentric about thecylindrical body, said cylindrical body being comprised of first andsecond sections that are separable upon a plane parallel to and spacedfrom the axis thereof, means at one axial end of the cylindrical bodypivotally connecting the corresponding end sections, whereby the remoteend of the second section can be swung radially outward to open thecylindrical body for access thereinto with the second sectionconstituting a door, means at the other end of the cylindrical body forreleasably retaining the second section in closed relationship withrespect to the first section, said second, doorconstituting, section ofthe cylindrical body extending upwardly through the open top of thehousing when the cylindrical body is opened, with the housing and saidsecond section being so constructed and arranged that they coact tolimit and substantially to prevent rotation of the cylindrical body whenthe second section is opened, said cylindrical body being provided withan external axially extending and radially outwardly projecting rib foragitating and lifting breading in the housing on rotation of thecylindrical body, means operabLe from outside the housing and connectedto the means for supporting the cylindrical body for rotating thelatter, said side walls having upper edges defining the open top of thehousing therebetween, and flat housing cover means mounted on the upperedges of the side walls for selectively closing the open top of thehousing.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the housing cover meanscomprises a cover hingedly mounted on the top of the housing for upwardswinging movement from a position closing the top of the housing, saidcover including a transparent portion for enabling visual inspection ofthe cylindrical body when the cover is in its closed position.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein said housing cover means comprises ahorizontally disposed cover, means mounting said cover on the housingfor horizontal sliding movement between a first position closing the topof the housing and a second position opening the top of the housingwherein one end of the cover overlies the housing for support therefromand the other end of the cover projects horizontally from the housing,and said other end of the cover having a wheeled support leg dependinglyattached thereto, whereby said cover is fully supported in its secondposition for use as a worktable in connection with breading operations.4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body is providedwith means operative in response to rotation of the cylindrical body totumble food pieces therein.
 5. The combination of claim 4, wherein themeans operative to tumble food pieces comprises an axially extending andradially inwardly projecting vane disposed within the cylindrical body.6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the vane is fixed to the second,door-constituting, section of the cylindrical body.
 7. The combinationof claim 1, together with means for enabling the breading machine to beemployed for removal of lumps from breading, said last recited meanscomprising a perforate basket removably received within the cylindricalbody, means carried by the second, door-constituting, section forengaging and holding the basket fixed in relation to the cylindricalbody when the second, door-constituting, section is retained in itsclosed position, and said basket including a removable closure member.8. The combination of claim 7, wherein it is the closure member of thebasket that is engaged by said means carried by the second,door-constituting, section.
 9. The combination of claim 8, wherein thebasket is provided with means engageable with the first section forlimiting movement of the basket into the first section, and wherein saidmeans carried by the second, door-constituting, section comprises anaxially extending and radially inwardly projecting vane.
 10. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the cylindricalbody includes a shaft journaled for rotation through an end wall of thehousing in alignment with axis of the cylindrical body, axiallyextensible means for detachably coupling an axial extremity of saidshaft to the adjacent axial extremity of the cylindrical body, withaxially separable bearing means at the opposite extremity of thecylindrical body for releasably supporting the latter, whereby theaxially extensible means can be retracted to detach the cylindrical bodyfrom the shaft and the cylindrical body moved to release said oppositeextremity of the cylindrical body whereupon the cylindrical body isfreed for removal from the housing.
 11. The combination of claim 10,wherein the means for supporting the cylindrical body includes anon-circular shaft centrally carried by the cylindrical body andprojecting toward the shaft, said first mentioned shaft including anon-circular end portion directed toward the pin, and a sleeve having anon-circular opening therethrough complementary to the shafts andslidingly receiving the latter therethrough, and said shafts and sleevebeing so constructed and arranged that the sleeve can be axially movedBetween positions overlapping and non-overlapping the shafts forrespectively coupling and decoupling the shafts.
 12. The combination ofclaim 10, wherein the means for rotating the cylindrical body compriseshand crank means disposed on the outside of the housing and drivinglyconnected to the shaft.
 13. A breading machine comprising an open-toppedhousing, a hollow cylindrical body for containing pieces of food to bebreaded, said body having a horizontal axis and including a perforateperipheral wall of cylindrical configuration connecting end walls thatare at its opposite axial ends, means for supporting the cylindricalbody within and in spaced relation to the housing for rotation about itsaxis, said housing including spaced vertical side walls extendingdownwardly from a height above the top of the cylindrical body, saidside walls being connected by a semicylindrical bottom wall that isconcentric about the cylindrical body, said cylindrical body includingas a part thereof a hingedly connected door that is swingable between afirst position closing the cylindrical body and a second positionopening the body and affording access thereinto, means for releasablyretaining the door in its first position, said door extending upwardlythrough the open top of the housing when the cylindrical body is opened,with the housing and said door being so constructed and arranged thatthey coact to limit and substantially to prevent rotation of thecylindrical body when the door is opened, said cylindrical body beingprovided with an external axially extending and radially outwardlyprojecting rib for agitating and lifting breading in the housing onrotation of the cylindrical body, means operable from outside thehousing and connected to the means for supporting the cylindrical bodyfor rotating the latter, said side walls having upper edges defining theopen top of the housing therebetween, and flat housing cover meansmounted on the upper edges of the side walls for selectively closing theopen top of the housing.
 14. The combination of claim 13, wherein saidhousing cover means comprises a horizontally disposed cover, meansmounting said cover on the housing for horizontal sliding movementbetween a first position closing the top of the housing and a secondposition opening the top of the housing wherein one end of the coveroverlies the housing for support therefrom and the other end of thecover projects horizontally from the housing, and said other end of thecover having a wheeled support leg dependingly attached thereto, wherebysaid cover is fully supported in its second position for use as aworktable in connection with breading operations.
 15. The combination ofclaim 13, wherein the cylindrical body is provided with means operativein response to rotation of the cylindrical body to tumble food piecestherein.
 16. The combination of claim 15, wherein the means operative totumble food pieces comprises an axially extending and radially inwardlyprojecting vane disposed within the cylindrical body.
 17. Thecombination of claim 13, together with means for enabling the breadingmachine to be employed for removal of lumps from breading, said lastrecited means comprising a perforate basket removably received withinthe cylindrical body, means for preventing movement of the basketrelative to the cylindrical body when the door is closed, and saidbasket including a removable closure member.
 18. The combination ofclaim 13, wherein the means for supporting the cylindrical body includesa shaft journaled for rotation through an end wall of the housing inalignment with the axis of the cylindrical body, axially extensiblemeans for detachably coupling an axial extremity of said shaft to theadjacent axial extremity of the cylindrical body, with axially separablebearing means at the opposite extremity of the cylindrical body forreleasably supporting the latter, whereby the axially extensible meanscan be retracted to detach the cylindrical body from the shaft and thecylindrical body moved to release said opposite extremity of thecylindrical body whereupon the cylindrical body is freed for removalfrom the housing.
 19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the means forsupporting the cylindrical body includes a non-circular shaft centrallycarried by the cylindrical body and projecting toward the shaft, saidfirst mentioned shaft including a non-circular end portion directedtoward the pin, and a sleeve having a non-circular opening therethroughcomplementary to the shafts and slidingly receiving the lattertherethrough, and said shafts and sleeve being so constructed andarranged that the sleeve can be axially moved between positionsoverlapping and non-overlapping the shafts for respectively coupling anddecoupling the shafts.
 20. The combination of claim 18, wherein themeans for rotating the cylindrical body comprises hand crank meansdisposed on the outside of the housing and drivingly connected to theshaft.